For Red Raiders, Hunt's home is their home

Photo by Tom Kelly IV
Coatesville QB Emmett Hunt (6) tries to pump up the fans and the rest of the team in the final moments of the game, during the La Salle College High School vs Coatesville State Semi-Final football game Friday night December 7, 2012 at Downingtown West High School.

COATESVILLE -- Not only does Coatesville quarterback Emmett Hunt assemble his teamamtes in the offensive huddle, he gets his guys together at his home on a regular basis and has been doing this since he and his pals were six years old and playing midget football.

It seems that the domicile of Mr. and Mrs. Emmett Hunt is something of a home away from home for Dre Boggs, Chris Jones, Vinnie Williams, Farrell Boyd and Joe Phillips. This group of friends and fotball players are almost inseperable and they meet at the Hunt’s on a regular basis.

“Everyone in the community knows these are my boys” Arvilla Hunt, Emmett’s mother, said. “They all come from wonderful families and are real good young men, but it always seemed like they met over here and they like it so much they just stay and eat dinner here and watch television and play video games together.

“The boys are really close and they share everything they have with each other. They do not play violent video games, it is all sports. They feel comfortable here with me and my husband and we love having them.”

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Hunt, who has thrown for close to 3,000 yards this season with 43 touchdown passes, says that he shares everything with his core group of buddies and having one of them stay over for a week or two is not a big thing.

“We share food, clothes, our house, everything with each other,” he said. “We are friends for life and we take that to school and to the football field. Everything I have is theirs and they feel the same way.”

Boggs, the electric senior wide receiver and kick returner, said that it is not just about having friends; it is more like having a big set of brothers.

“We are all about family in Coatesville and we share everything together,” Boggs said. “We feel comfortable with each other. We are just one big family and we take that to the football field also.”

Arvilla Hunt says that she and her husband try to give a positve environment for the players, and in turn they feel it is just like being in their own homes.

“Many times the boys will come to us and open up about things that are bothering them and we talk things out,” she stated. “They feel comfortable enough to express their feelings and we just love having them. We would not have it any other way. It is like a home away from home for the boys. One time, Chris Jones stayed with us for two months. We just love what the boys bring to our home and Emmett loves having them. The boys call us aunt and uncle and it makes us feel so good.

“Through the boys we have devoloped a great relationship with all the boys’ parents and we go out together and we have become close. That is what Coatesville is about, being a family, and we like to show that to the boys.”

As the Red Raiders prepare to face undefeated North Allegehny for the biggest prize in Pennsylvania football, Hunt said that the he and his guys will spend a lot of time together as always.

“That is what we do and who we are,” Hunt said. “We all look out for each other and we walk as one. That is how we play football and how we like to live.”